In an interview with Zenit Agency, Father José Enrique Oyarzún, rector of the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum, an institution of the Legionaries of Christ, shares how they promote a culture of dialogue from there, a task that has become an imperative in the current context.

The Holy Father Francis has urged ecclesiastical academic institutions to promote a culture of dialogue, a task that has become an imperative in the current context. Based on this premise, the Athenaeum has been developing a series of programs and fostering a culture of dialogue, since “as stated in the constitution Veritatis Gaudium, dialogue is not simply a tactic, but an intrinsic necessity to live and experience communally the joy of truth,” affirms Father José.

We share the interview published by Zenit Agency in Rome.

Zenit Agency: Thank you for this interview. We will start with a general but fundamental question: What is the main mission of the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum in the current context?

Rector: The main mission of the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum is to educate our students not only in academic knowledge but also in human and spiritual values. We aim to be a house where the search for truth is central, a place that fosters the human capacity to know and recognize what gives meaning to life and to one’s environment. Additionally, as part of the network of universities of the Legion of Christ and the Regnum Christi Movement (RIU), we actively collaborate in the evangelizing mission. Our specific mission is to form apostles, Christian leaders, clergy, and laity in service of the Church, creating cultural currents of Christian thought that respond to the theoretical and existential questions of man, in full communion with the Magisterium of the Church. In this way, we seek to imbue society with the Christian spirit.

AZ: In your mission, you mention the search for truth. How is the culture of dialogue integrated into this search?

R: The culture of dialogue is fundamental to our mission. As stated in the constitution Veritatis Gaudium, dialogue is not simply a tactic, but an intrinsic necessity to live and experience communally the joy of truth. In our Athenaeum, dialogue is understood as an encounter based on mutual respect, attentive listening, and openness to truth, which allows sharing diverse experiences and perspectives.

You can read the full interview here:

The promotion of a culture of dialogue in an ecclesiastical academic institution | ZENIT – Spanish